Sign post display



Feb. 27, 1968 I A. J. LOOK 3,370,369

SIGN POST DISPLAY Filed Feb. 23, 1967 2 SheetsSheet l Feb. 27, 1968 A. J. LOOK SIGN POST DISPLA-Y 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Feb. 23, 1967 INVENTOR. Arthur J. Look Afforneys United States Patent 3,370,369 SEGN POST DESFLAY Arthur .I. Look, Eirnhurst, 111., assignor to Prevue Display Services, Chicago, Iii, a corporation of Iiiinois Continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 457,589, May 21, 1965. This application Feb. 23, 1967, Ser. No. 629,345

13 Claims. (Cl. 40-125) ABSTRACT OF THE DESCLOSURE A display which generally comprises two specially constructed brackets adapted to be fixedly secured to a support post, in spaced relation. The brackets are selfadjusting, upon tightening, to various diameter support posts and are adapted to receive the ends of two U-shaped placard support holders. The holders may be of any dimension and the brackets spaced accordingly to support theby first fixedly securing one of the brackets and adjustably positioning and securing the other bracket to receive the ends of the holder. Display placards and the like are fitted over the arms of the holders.

This application is a continuation-in-part of United States application, Ser. No. 457,589, filed May 21, 1965, now abandoned.

This invention relates in general to displays and, more particularly, to displays which are mounted upon upstanding support posts.

Presently available displays of the above-mentioned types are generally unsatisfactory, or at least objectionable, since they are constructed as integral units, that is, the display and the support posts are but one unit, or else the display is adapted for mounting upon a support post of a predetermined size or diameter. Unless that particular size or diameter support post is available, one of the required size or diameter must be provided or the display modified so that it is adaptable to the available support post. In either case, considerable time and effort is necessary to mount the display. It is also found that the displays, or the display mounting structures, are of a fixed predetermined dimension and cannot be easily modified or adapted to other displays of different dimensions. The display is therefore generally used for a period of time and then discarded.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved display which is adaptable to fasten to support posts of various diameters.

It is another object of the invention to provide an im proved display which is adaptable to mountingly support display placards and the like of various sizes.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved display which is easily fastened to supporting posts of various diameters and which is constructed in a fashion such that it is readily adapted to support display placards and the like of various sizes.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved display which is relatively simple in construction and therefore relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Still another object is to provide an improved display including sleeve-type signs on placards which are adapted to be easily afiixed to and removed from the display.

Still another object is to provide an improved display which can be easily collapsed and packaged for shipment or storage.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The above outlined objectives are accomplished with the display of the present invention which generally com- 3379,36? Patented Feb. 27, 1968 prises two specially constructed brackets adapted to be fixedly secured to a support post, in spaced relation. The brackets are self-adjusting, upon tightening, to various diameter support posts and are adapted to receive the ends of two U-shaped placard support holders. The holders may be of any dimension and the brackets spaced accordingly to support them, by first fixedly securing one of the brackets and adjustably positioning and securing the other bracket to receive the ends of the holder. Display placards and the like are fitted over the arms of the holders. Apertures formed in the holders, the brackets and the placards are positioned so that a threaded screw passed through them is all that is necessary to fixedly secure the display in assembled condition.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view illustrating a display, exemplary of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a view showing the brackets and the U-shaped placard support holders in assembled fashion upon a support post, with the placards removed;

FIGURE 3 is a view showing the bracket secured to a support post and illustrating how the placard support holders are attached to the bracket;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along lines 44 of FIG. 3, illustrating how the bracket is secured to the support post;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the fiexible adjusting member of the bracket assembly used to fixedly ecure the display to support posts of various diameters;

FIGURE 6 is 'a view of one of the brackets, illustrating the strap and fastening construction;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of a display, exemplary of another embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 8 is a view illustrating the manner in which the placard is affixed to the placard support holders;

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged, partial view, illustrating the cut-outs in the placard for the brackets and support post; and

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged end view of the placard.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawing, in FIG. 1 there is shown a display 10 exemplary of the present invention having a pair of brackets 11 and 12 fixedly secured to a support post 17 which may be supported in an upright position in any suitable fashion, as for example, by means of a support base 18. Secured to the brackets 11 and 12, are two U-shaped placard support holders 13 and 14, which may be best seen in H6. 2. Two placards 15 and 16 which may be advantageously formed in the shape of a sleeve having a closed end are adapted to slide over the arms of the holders 13 and 14. In FIG. 1, the placards 15 and 16 are shown spaced apart so that the holders 13 and 14 may be seen, however, the placards, when assembled, are formed so that the front sides thereof overlap one another to conceal the brackets 11 and 12.

The brackets 11 and 12, as may be best seen in FIG. 4, include a tubular member 20 which has an internal diameter substantially corresponding in size to that of a pipe member 22. received and fixedly secured therein, with its ends projecting some distance beyond the ends of the member 2%). In a particular application, the member 20 is approximately four inches in length and the ends of the pipe member 22 extend approximately four inches beyond the ends of the member 20. A resilient W-shaped member 24, which may be best seen in FIG. 5, has the ends of its legs 25 and 26 fixedly secured to the tubular member 'and is arranged so that the apex formed by its other two legs 27 and 28 is spaced from the tubular member 26. The legs and 26 of the W-shaped member 24 have rectangular shape-d apertures 29 and 30 formed therein, respectively, for receiving a strap 32.

The strap 32, as can be best seen in FIG. 6, has a number of slotted apertures, indicated by the reference numeral 34, formed therein which are "adapted to be threadingly engaged by the threads of a threaded screw 36 retained within a member 38. One end of the strap 32 is fixedly secured to the member 38 and the other end of the strap 32 is threaded through the member 38 by rotating the threaded screw 36 which engages the slotted apertures 34 formed in the strap 32.

The placard/support members 13 and 14 are formed from tubular material which corresponds in size to that of the tubular members 20 of the brackets 11 and 12. In attaching the holders 13 and 14 to the brackets 11 and 12, the ends of the holders 13 and 14 are slipped over the pipe members 22 and butted against the ends of the tubular member'20 of the brackets. The tubular members 20 therefore function to hold the holders 13 and 14 in spaced relation, and since the tubular members and the holders are of the same size, a flush joint is provided.

In attaching the sign post display 10 to a support post 17, the bracket 11 or 12, is first fixedly secured to the support post 17 by wrapping the strap 32 about the support post and threading the end of the strap through the member 38, and tightening the strap 32 by rotating the threaded screw 36. As can be best seen in FIG. 4, the support post 17 is positioned between the legs 27 and 28 of the W-shaped member 24, and is forceably urged towards the apex formed by the legs 27 and 28, as the strap 32 is tightened about the support post 17. The brackets 11 and 12 can be fixedly secured to almost any size diameter support post since the strap 32 engages the apex formed by the legs 27 and 28 and the support post is urged between the two legs 27 and 28 when the strap is tightened. The other bracket 11 or 12 is next placed on the supporting post 17 and the strap 32 thereof tightened sufiiciently to hold it in afiixed position, but slidable on the supporting post 17. The end of one arm of the holder 13 or 14- is then slipped over the pipe member 22 of the slidably fitted bracket, and the bracket and the holder both simultaneously adjusted along the length of the support post until the end of the other arm of the holder can be slipped over the pipe member 22 of the fixedly secured bracket. The other holder can then be easily assembled with the brackets, since the brackets are now properly spaced and all that needs to be done is to slip the ends of the holder over the rod member 22.

The placards 13 and 14 which are preferably preformed as sleeves having a closed end are next slipped over the holders 13 and 14, overlapped to conceal the brackets 11 and 12 and the holders and the placards secured to the brackets by means of a threaded screw or the like passed through the mating holes 39 formed in them.

It may be noted that the holders 13 and 14 can assume various shapes and need not be rectangular shaped, as shown. For example, the holders can be formed so as to provide a substantially square display when assembled. The placards 15 and 16 can be formed so as to correspond to the particular shaped holders, or vice versa, that is, the holders formed to correspond to the dimensions of the placards, and the brackets 11 and 12 fixedly secured to a support post, in the manner described above. For these reasons, the sign post display 10 of the present invention is extremely versatile, being adaptable to almost any size support post and to support placards of various sizes and shapes. Furthermore, the components of the display are easily adjustable so as to be adaptable 4 as described. It is further seen that the components are relatively simple in construction, readily assembled and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

In FIGS. 710 there is shown a display placard 40 which is formed as an integral unit, from a single sheet of material. The display placards for use with the display 10 are advantageously formed in this manner, for the display material is more easily printed on it, the display placard itself is more easily packaged for shipment or storage and is more easily assembled on the holders 13 and 14.

The display placard 40 has a front wall 42 which provides an uninterrupted surface upon which the display material can be printed. Accordingly, the printingcan be more easily accomplished since there is no need to account for the overlap of the mating ends of the display placards, as in the case of the display placards '13 and 14. A top wall 44 and a bottom wall 46 are integrally affixed to the front wall 42, and are foldable along the score lines 47 and 48. A back wall 50 is integrally aflixed to the top wall 44, along score line 51, and .a securing flap 52 is integrally afiixed to the bottom wall 46, along score line 53.

The back wall 50 has a cut-out portion 56 centrally thereof, dividing the back wall 56 into two sections 50a and 56b. The width of the cut-out portion 56 preferably substantially corresponds to the diameter or width of the mounting or support postto which the sign display 10 is afiixed, so that the edges of the back wall sections 50a and 50b abut snugly against the post. The top and bottom walls 44 and 46 each have a cut-out portion 57 and 58, respectively, which join with cut-out portions 59 and 60 in the back wall 50 and securing flap 52. These cut-out portions 56, 57, 58, 59 and 60 provide spaces for the brackets 11 and 12, when the display placard is ahixed to the sign display, as described below.

The back wall section 50a is securely afiixed by, for example, stapling it to the securing flap 52, to form an open tubular sleeve which can be slipped over the holders 13 and 14. The back wall section 5% is adapted to be detachable afiixed the securing flap 52 to form an open, tubular sleeve, by a number of fasteners 62 which are preferably snap-fasteners.

In affixing the display placard 40 to the sign display 10, the permanently-formed sleeve portion thereof is first slipped over the holder 14, until its end edge abuts against the support post 17. Next, the back wall section 50b is folded about the holder'13 to enclose it therein and afiixed to the securing flap 52, with the fasteners 62.

From the above descripiton, it can be seen that thedisplay placard 40 can be easily and quickly afiixed to the sign display 10, without the need of tools of any type. Furthermore, the display placard 40 is as easily removed, simply by unsnapping the fasteners 62 and sliding itofi of the holders 13 and 14. As indicated above, a display placard of this type is advantageously used and is preferred for use with the sign display 10 since it can be easily and quickly afixed to the sign display and, since it presents an uninterrupted surface, it can be more easily provided with printed display material.

A score line 64, formed transversely across the face of the front wall 42, permits the display placard 40 to be folded in half for convenience in shipping and storing it. With this arrangement, it may be noted that the sign display can be compactly packaged, by inserting the holders 13 and 14 and the brackets 11 and 12 Within the display placard 40, and the latter folded in half so that the entire display can be placed in a carton.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efiiciently attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention, which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Now that the invention has been described, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A display comprising, in combination: a pair of placard and the like support holders of a tubular material which is formed into a predetermined shape; a placard or the like secured to said holders; a pair of brackets adapted to be fixedly secured to support posts of various diameters, said brackets each including a first member having shoulders formed thereon and adapted to slidingly fit within said holders with the ends of said holders butted against said shoulders, a resilient member having slotted apertures formed therein fixedly secured to said first member and adapted to resiliently engage said support post and adjustable strap means engaged in said slotted apertures and about said support post, said strap means when adjusted forcibly urging said support post in engagement with said resilient means to thereby fixedly secure said brackets to said support post.

2. A display according to claim 1 wherein said brackets are adjustably spaced and fixedly secured to said support post to slidingly receive said holders thereon.

3. A display according to claim 1 wherein said placard or the like comprises two placard halves which are formed to overlap one another to conceal said brackets.

4. A display according to claim 1 wherein said placards or the like are formed as sleeves which are adapted to slip over said holders and wherein the ends of said placards or the like overlap one another to conceal said brackets.

5. A display according to claim 1, wherein said resilient member is a W-shaped member having the ends of two of its legs fixedly secured to said first member with the apex formed by its other two legs spaced from said first member, said first mentioned two legs having slotted apertures formed therein and adjustable strap means engaged in said slotted apertures and about said support post, said strap means when adjusted forcibly urging said support post in engagement with said last mentioned two legs of said resilient W-shaped member to thereby fixedly secure said brackets to said support post.

6. A display according to claim 1 wherein said brackets each include a tubular member, a pipe member fixedly secured within said tubular member with its ends extending beyond the ends of said tubular member and forming a shoulder, the ends of said pipe member being adapted to slidingly fit within said holders with the ends of said holder butted against said shoulder, a resilient W-shaped member having the ends of two of its legs fixedly secured to said tubular member with the apex formed by its other two legs spaced from said tubular member, said first mentioned two legs having slotted apertures formed therein and adjustable strap means engaged in said slotted apertures about said support post, said strap means when adjusted forcibly urging said support port in engagement with said last mentioned two legs of said resilient W- shaped member to thereby fixedly secure said brackets to said support post.

7. A display according to claim 6 wherein said strap means include a strap having a plurality of slotted apertures formed therein, a threaded screw retained within a slotted member which is adapted to receive the said strap therein with said threaded screw engaged in said slotted apertures, said threaded screw when rotated adapted to pull said strap through said slotted member, said strap means when adjusted forcibly urging said support post in engagement with said last mentioned two legs of said resilient W-shaped member to thereby fixedly secure said brackets to said support post.

8. A display according to claim 7 wherein said brackets are adjustably spaced and fixedly secured to said support post to slidingly receive said holders thereon.

9. A display according to claim 7 wherein said placards or the like overlap one another to conceal said brackets.

10. A display according to claim 7 wherein said placards or the like are formed as sleeves which are adapted to slip over said holders and wherein the ends of said placards or the like overlap one another to conceal said brackets.

11. A display according to claim 1 wherein said placard or the like comprises a placard formed as an integral unit from a single sheet of material, one half of said placard being permanently formed in the shape of a sleeve adapted to slidably fit over one of said support holders, the other half of said placard being formed to be folded about the other one of said support holders and detachably afiixed together to form a sleeve.

12. A display according to claim 11 wherein said placard further includes cut-out portions in the walls thereof for receiving said pair of brackets and said support post.

13. A display according to claim 1 wherein said placard or the like comprises a placard formed as an integral unit from a single sheet of material, said placard having a front wall providing a continuous surface upon which printed indicia can be printed, a top wall, a bottom wall, a back wall and a securing flap, said top wall, said bottom wall, said back wall and said securing flap having a cutout therein for receiving said pair of brackets and said support post, said cut-out in said back wall dividing it into two halves, one of said halves being fixedly secured to said securing flap so as to form a sleeve for receiving a support holder therein, the other one of said halves being foldable about a support holder and detachably and fixedly securable to said securing flap to form a sleeve for retaining said support holder therein and for affixing said half to said support holder.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 905,392 12/1908 Watkins 40-128 1,415,488 5/1922 Seyfarth 40125 X 2,070,407 2/1937 Knauber 40-145 2,954,626 10/1960 Kies 4O125 3,088,235 5/1963 Kies 40128 X LAWRENCE CHARLES, Primary Examiner. 

